Leonie Dawson's Blog, page 95
December 5, 2015
Leonie’s Scrapbook: my world record’s longest scrapbook post evuh!!
Hola pandas
We’re back with my usual scrapbook of photos + ramblings from the past couple of weeks (okay, more like past month!)
Be warned… dis one is BIIIIIIIIIIIIIG.
WORLD RECORD ACHIEVING IN FACT!
Well… in Leonie World at least…
on with da show!
Me & my ex-cubicle boss Lile.
Hilarious but true:
We were out together + I got recognised… and then they recognised Lile as well because she features so heavily on my Instagram.
HAHAHAHAHA Lil… You’re famoooos by proxy!
Because I don’t have enough happening right now… I wrote the final pages for Internet Addiction: The Zine. And I handed it over to my sexy production assistant to digitise and clean up and Indesign it. Poor Chris gets verrrrrry sexually harassed in his workplace. ANYWAYS!!!! This colourful, honest illustrated zine will be given exclusively to our mailing list lovers. Sign up to be a mailing list lover so we can send you lots of fun, free, useful & magical gifties. Let us pour some luuuuuurve on you!!!!!!
Yayyyyyyyy!!!! Got to hang with baby Grace and my mates and our tribe of wombfruits at the park by the lake. Sunshine and getting swooped by marauding birds after our food. We left when 3/5 of the wombfruits started having meltdowns. Always a wonderful way to know when a play date is at its natural conclusion. HAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA
A portrait of true love. Me & Dr Kate Byrne from Betty Means Business (as in… “have you met my friend, the good Doctor Kate?” that’s how I introduce her… she hates it/loves it/hates it but still likes me anyway WOOOO! YEAH!)
I took this incredible portrait whilst spending a delightful afternoon “working” at a cafe. And by “working”, I mean eating cake, talking shit, and occasionally brainstorming. #nailedit
One of my favourite things about our new home is the garden. It is a cornucopia of flowers, so very well thought out and loved. I love that there are no stairs to get out there… It’s just an extension of the house. I love that our fairy girls disappear out there to sing songs and collect flowers in their pockets. We might have moved back to the city, but they are more deeply connected to the earth than ever.
My Halloween costume this year is
“exhausted mum counting the minutes until children’s bedtime and whispering that nobody better come trick or treating tonight otherwise the dogs will go ballistic and wake the children and seriouslyfuckaduck I just need to emotionally eat chocolate on the couch with my husband and talk to no one else.”
I feel like I’m nailing it. #realtalk #realparenting
If you’ve been following me on Facebook or Instagram, you’ll know I’ve been restoring toys from my daughter’s kindergarten room.
These handmade toys had become verrrrry well loved. Heads falling off, raggedy hair, clothes getting drab. Can’t wait to show Starry in the morning and see if she gives it her approval!!!
I love that there will be toys in her kindy room that she plays with through the day that her mama has put some love into.
We survived Halloween.
Only one set of Trick or Treaters thank goodness.
Once Starry realised it was Halloween she asked if she could play too. So we let them dress up (Beth put a towel on her head and was done) and we hid behind our bedroom door. They knocked, we opened, Starry said “TWICKER TWEAT” and Beth said “NAAAAAA!!!!” (her word for “I’m so hungry I could cut a bitch!” and we gave them random crap from the kitchen including mandarins and biscuits and one sad, aged Freddo frog we found at the back of the cupboard.
Starry was gracious. Beth was not. She threw the boring food on the ground and ran down the hall attempting to chew through the Freddo packet. It was magical. No, really.
We laughed and laughed and then got them into bed. One day we might try harder at Halloween but this year – with a rambunctious 18 month old and two cross-country moves under our belt and a still not-fully-unpacked-house – now is not the year.
Now we are enjoying a leisure soaked Sunday lay-in with LOTS of personal space. #nope
Starry said this morning
“Mummy, aren’t you so glad I chose you to be my family?”
More than you could ever possibly know, my darling.
Role reversal… It’s past my bedtime and I’m picking my dad up from the bus station. He’s been travelling with his girlfriend. Guess I’m repaying him for picking me up at 3am sometimes…
The conversations you think are HILARIOUS during Launch Week of 2016 Create Your Shining Year goals workbooks + diary/planner.
Launch Week face. I feel radiant. So well rested. So in control. LOLZZZZZZZZZZ NOPE.
#realbusiness #realentrepreneurship
My Dad is visiting this week, our launch week, which may be the best or worst timing ever.
Probably for the best though, because it makes me take breaks and get recentred. We went to the Arboretum this morning to eat pies and look at a bonsai museum.
Then I scored 10 minutes in the gift store alone with Chris while Beth & Grandad played.
LIVING THE PARENTING DREAM GUYZZZZ.
Now I’m having a lay down before I get back into work.
Me + my mini-me. Ostara has my sensitivities, Beth has my face + deep adoration of food.
I went for a hike with Dad to stretch my legs and record some videos for 2016 Shining Year workbook launch. My favourite walk here… ambling around the paddocks and talking to the kangaroos and wombats and rabbits.
Nooooooooooooo… Have woken up with a burning throat and a headache… Usually impending sign of a throat infection for me. Quick, tell me all the shit I should be throwing at it now to stop it!!!
Phew… all that garlic I ate killed the beast in my throat.
So we went for a family adventure to Questacon – the National Science + Technology Centre.
This one is a kaleidescope of Leonie + Ostara particles.
The girls in a distorted room at Questacon. Beff had stolen my prayer beads for the day to dress up as a tiny whirlwind of a Tibetan monk.
Launch day arrives at last…
oh guys… the antici……………………………pation!
just did a final walkthrough of the 2016 product collection pages with my incredible chiefs Amber + Grant.
it is looking absolutely STUNNING… this is absolutely the most beautiful thing we’ve ever produced. i’m so very, very, very proud of my team and the incredible people we have worked with who have poured a HUGE number of hours and love and sweat and joy and tears in over the last year to birth these products. it has been a labour of love, through + through. one that is so very worth it to see this shining creation burst forth at the end.
we’re just polishing up the last couple of pieces and will launch in a couple of hours.
i can’t wait to share it with you. thank you for your patience. and excitement. and love.
i love you all.
love,
Big Happy Heart Beating Fast
(aka Leonie)
One more coding bug to fix…. Fuccccck… Hold tight my lovelies. In the meantime here’s some mermaid boobies.
And then… like an overdue orgasm, they arrived.
9 months of hard work + 21 people all pouring their hearts into them.
A relief… SUCH a relief to have them out into the world.
And – what a gift – that they’ve been so joyfully embraced.
We’ve already sold out of our To Do List pads.
We’ve already sold over half of our 2016 Biz Goals workbooks.
Amazing.
Have spent the whole day in bed. Three hour nap this morning, ate lunch, now doing some top quality lolling about. This #2016shiningyear launch has been absolutely huge.
Broadbean harvest from our garden. Now being consumed lightly boiled with a dash of salted butter. OM NOM NOM #freakyeating
November Resolution: do 100km on the exercise bike by the end of November. I’m trying to underdo, not overdo, but not do nothing at all. This Scorpio is trying to learn moderation. Ha!!!!
End of month update: I ended up doing just over 50. I didn’t get to my goal, but I did more than I would have otherwise. Hooray!
WHAT A LAFF!!!!!!! About a year ago, I shared a photo of this cup because I thought it was fucking hilarious. It went on to become viral and was seen 25 million times.
The cup company Holy Flaps reached out to us a couple of weeks ago telling us that it had made a huge difference to their business and the had gotten so many orders. It was the loveliest feeling ever!!!
They sent me a box of cups to say thank you. Me and Chris just opened it and pissed ourselves laughing at every single one. They are perfect. Hilarious!!!!! You will be seeing more of these in my photos fo sho… Tea is important. Rude tea is essential.
(And nope – not a sponsored post. I don’t do them. I share about what I love. Including full fat Coke.)
Guess what’s happening here????
Rainbow mermaid hair!
BOOOOOO YEAHHHHHHHHHH I’m a finalist in the MyBusiness Awards for Australian Business Woman of the Year and am heading to Sydney this Friday for the awards night. Decided to follow my usual awards uniform: rainbow hair, turquoise dress.
Start them young. #prideandprejudice
My hairdresser blow wave washed out last night… Thank goodness. I feel so much more like myself with wild untamed mermaid hair.
I’m writing // illustrating a guide for creating face-to-face goals workbook groups… This will be given as a bonus to all our workbook purchasers + Academy members!
Oh gosh! What an honour! A friend from my hometown sent in this newspaper article about me being a finalist for Australian Business Woman of the Year! Thanks Kerry!
Last photo of me as a 32 year old. Goodnight beautiful world. I’m so glad to be in you.
It is indeed. Brunch with my darlings to celebrate my birthday.
The rest of today’s agenda: quiet home time on this beautiful rainy day (my very favourite weather). Watching INSIDE OUT for the first time. Indian takeout for dinner.
And packing for my 27 hour solo trip tomorrow to Sydney for #myBusinessawards. I get to see my beloved bestie and meet a bunch of my Sydney tribe as well. I’m so very lucky.
Thanks for the birthday flowers, my lovely team.
I love that you got flowers that matched my hair!!!!!
#priorities
Oh how adorable!!!! A posie of flowers from my sweet girl Kate (YES! That IS Dr Kate! Funny you should ask!) works perfectly in a Holy Flaps mug!!!! MEANTTTTT TOOOOO BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
A bunch of y’all mentioned the similarities between lil me & Beffyboo. Pretty close! She defo has her own spirit though. #sherunswiththewolves
I can’t stop laughing…
Peeps are soooo excited about getting their 2016 Shining Year books in the mail they are taking heaps of photos of their packages and sending them into us which makes us so happy.
This is some next level shit right here… One gorgeous soul was so excited she got the postman to post with her delivery!!!!! Hahahahahahahaaaaaaaa… I LOVE IT.
And I love this Ginger Bearded Stud. #insertmanypackagepunshere
We’ve been receiving SOOOOOOOOOO many lovely pics of the 2016 product collection and I just looooooooove seeing all of the happiness around the world! Have you grabbed yours?
Off to Sydney for MyBusiness Awards !!! I decided to take the bus instead of fly because the thought of 3.5 hours by myself with no children sounds like a fucking spiritual retreat. Can’t wait to see my beloved bestie t and meet all our Sydney tribe at this afternoon’s meet up. Its going to be a huge day and night… I feel so lucky.
Thank you Mr. Dawson for looking after our darling screamers yet again while I galavant around the country.
One million sex fairy points to you.
Listening to my first Brene Brown book on the bus on the way to Sydney. I’m late to the party, but fuuuuck she is good.
Jumped off the bus in Sydney and straight into the arms of my darling Sone.
Sone + I met a decade ago or so…
When I had an inner marriage ceremony to commit to loving and honouring myself… And invited some strangers off the Internet to come stay at my house and be my goddesses of honour. As soon as we set eyes on each other, we knew we were sisters + she has been one of my dearest friends ever since.
I haven’t had any 1-on-1 time with Sone since I had my first baby 5 years ago and we started travelling around the countryside… we’ve seen each other twice since then for a flash in time.
It was so so so so so so so so so so so so good to see her again.
We walked down the street holding hands gleefully like two little girls.
She is so very precious to me.
She took me straight across the city to a Sydney meetup I was running.
And by “I was running” I mean “I mentioned it to Sone + she project managed + event organised the fuck out of it + I just turned up + hugged a lot of people + laughed.”
SUCH beautiful women. My face hurt from smiling so much.
I really adore meeting you lot… spirited, sweet, passionate, creative women!
We had lunch + then I did an hour or so of Q&A including some fantastic demonstrations of how to get your head stuck up your own asshole.
I’m not even kidding.
We headed to my hotel in the pouring room, and we got dressed for the MyBusiness Awards.
(That’s our prom shot after we got dressed… bahahahahahahahaha!!!!)
I got a new mermaid dress from Noni B for it. And proceeded to be Very Very Normal for the whole night.
NOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.
I’m sitting next to Heather Woods who is another Businesswoman of the Year finalist and she is a fucking LEGEND ANNNNNNNNNNND weird but true…
We are from regional towns way out wakkawakka that are right next to each other!!!!!!!!!!! Must be something in the water up that way!!!!!!
They started running a social media screen at the awards night… so I dutifully kept taking horrific selfies + hashtagging them appropriately… they ended up flooding the screen with my horrific selfies and I couldn’t stop laffffffffffffffing.
Once my ugly selfies started hitting the big screen other peeps started doing the same. I then went and jumped on there for a group ugly selfie.
Thanks @techinfection for the groupie. I mean group selfie. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANNN
The very important social media bloke from Optus is easily persuaded to be involved in my shenanigans. Love you Richard. I shall never forget you.
What a huge day.
Left Canberra this morning, got into Sydney and ran straight into the arms of my darling Sone then straight to my Sydney meetup where I got to meet so many beautiful souls… What a joy to wrap my arms around people who were once just lil icons on the Internet.
Then off to the hotel for Bestie Hang Time which was just glorious. It’s been five years since we have had that and I have missed it and missed her so very much.
Then off to the #mbawards15 to meet glorious, goal-getter souls and laugh until I was hoarse. It is quiet now. Sone dropped me back to my room.
I’m looking over the Sydney lights.
And I’m wondering how I got so very lucky to be doing this thing I adore and meeting and loving so very many incredible souls.
I like it. I like it so very much.
Love, your pink-haired friend who just bought a $9 bottle of water from the hotel room bar. It’s the most amazing water I’ve ever tasted in my life.
P.S Not really, it just tastes like water but apparently it has Australian Bush Flower Essences in it. #fancyasfuuuuuuckkkkkk
Goodbye, beautiful Sydney. You are old and brand new and busy and wild. Always good to visit you and have my eyes enlivened and washed clean and excited. I’m returning home with gladness and adventures and stories in my pocket. Also, I have learned the profound truth from yesterday’s trip to never, ever sit near the bus toilet.
My darling Sone gave me a turquoise necklace she got while trekking in Nepal. It feels so very good to wear. I’m on the bus heading home now, back to my place under the sun… My beloved ‘Berra.
It feels good to have these hours of staring out a bus window buffering such a busy, quick trip.
Gives my highly sensitive parts time to integrate and be still again.
So glad I didn’t fly… The time would have gone too fast.
The slower pace suits me better.
Looking forward to kissing the faces of my darlings again.
We are still getting settled into our new home, finding where furniture and art needs to be. I noticed our bedroom still didn’t feel homely… And remembered a bookcase in the bedroom always makes me and hunky life’s souls feel at home. Still need to chose all the books from the other bookcases to put in it…
But gosh it feels good already. Beth is napping so it is time for me to loll about in bed and do fuckkkkkallllllllllllllll while Starry and Chris watch movies together. #lazysundaysarethebest #bookwhore
Me & Just Woke Up From A Nap Baby.
Short nap today – only 2 hours. She usually does at least 3. It’s a shock after having suuuuuuuch a terrible sleeper first time around. Kids that sleep for long stretches are so much easier.
I get way less anxiety flare ups this time around because I’m not as physically broken and I get actual breaks.
It is my love’s birthday in two days.
So I thought I would take my (sweet) 5 year old and my (deranged, runaway) 18 month old on a shopping expedition to buy a gift for him.
IT WILL BE FUN I thought. WE WILL HAVE A GIRLZ DATE.
I was wrong, guyz. So very, very wrong.
I couldn’t ever stop for one moment to look at something on a shelf before Beth was legging it to every dangerous, stupid place she wasn’t meant to be.
BEEEEEEEETHHH!!!! Beeeeeeeeeetttthhhhhhh!!! Oh bloody hell! was the mantra again today. I was ready to cry/drink/panic attack/lay on the floor to get my breath back by the end.
Luckily, Chris ordered some stuff online he said we could use as presents because all I managed to grab besides my runaway daughter was a terrible Christmas shirt. Sorry, boo. Better luck next year when our baby grows out of her current insanity. I hope. Otherwise… Gift shopping… Or indeed any other kind of shopping… Never again. Love, Recovering In Bed
A scrumptious mail day!!!! Skirt by Sunny Daisy Tie Dye and mermaid mala beads. Such a scrumptious way to celebrate our 2016 Shining Year product collection launch!!!!!!!
Oh my goodness. What an amazing mail day!!!!
Just got these in the mail. They look and feel DIVINE. But I’ve come to expect that from my darling Lish from Naughty Naturopath Mum… Gosh she is a good one.
Happy happy birthday to this man who has walked by my side through hell & high water for the last 14 years.
He has believed in me & never ever thinks I’m weird.
Nobody believes that, but it’s true.
He likes to sit under a ginormous golden Buddha painting. He reads piles of books on psychology and I never ever know what he is going to say next. People think I’m the intense one until they meet him and really get to know him. He’s also hotttttttt.
Happy birthday Mr D.
Thanks for keeping this wild boat from capsizing a million times and more.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA X A MILLION.
Holy Flaps sent this cup for Chris.
I told him I was only taking a photo of him with it to share it with our team.
He didn’t believe me.
LUCKYYYYYYY COZ HE WASSSS RIIIIIIIIGHT.
Mwahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!
To make up for that whole “I told the whole world you’re a massive minge chomper” thing, I bought myself a KISS shirt. Mr D is a massive KISS fan. He asked me why I didn’t buy him a shirt instead.
I said “Because this way you can bang a girl wearing a KISS shirt. Way better, right?”
My logic is flawless. I’m pretty sure he’s going to be deeeeeeeelighted that I’ve also decided to share this story too.
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Family Adventure Morning with the wombfruits and Mr Hot Arms. It amazes me that my bloke’s only arms routine is lifting kids and his biceps are… *takes personal moment to think of arms and swoon like a Victorian lady*………
Spent the morning with a baby sleeping on me. AUNTY OF THE YEARRRRRRRRRR.
Me and my Canberra mates have officially adopted each other and each other’s kids as “Fr-amily” (friend-family).
Fridays are now Framily Funday play dates. I think next week we will set up a sweatshop and factory line sew some summer sundresses for our clan of girls.
Sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet man.
FAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRKKKKKKKKKKKK SOOOOOOOOOOOO HOTTTTTTTTTTTTT #allAustralianstoday
So here’s the thing: sometimes (always) people don’t believe me when I say my husband genuinely doesn’t think I’m weird. But I know in almost 15 years he has not once even considered it, much less said it.
And I realised today that it’s because very few people know that Chris is just as filthy-minded, spiritually-woo, intense and kooky as me, if not more so. He’s just quiet about it.
When I told him my theory, he agreed. And he said that he’s probably even kookier than me because he’s mysterious about it, whereas I’m so overtly expressive. Ha!!!!
Best idea ever… One on one date with my Starry girl.
I feel like I can really breathe and enjoy my kids more when I can focus on one at a time. Especially when it’s not the toddler that likes to run in car parks.
Today we headed to the fabric store to get supplies for our Framily Summer Sundress Sweatshop to make dresses for our Girl Squad of 5.
I can’t wait to show the results with you!!!
Bethy woke up early this morning for the first time ever… Earlier than her sleep-adverse older sister!!!
I got up to give Chris a sleep in for once and promptly decided to go on an adventure to Bunnings for sample pots of paint. Chris hasn’t even raised an eyebrow.
It’s only taken almost 15 years for him to no longer “passionately discuss” interior decorating decisions. Notttttt because we have particularly different tastes… Just because we are both Scorpios who like to have opinions. Haaaa!!!!
Anyways I think I’ll make our dining room both the orange and red colours. The other one looks too much like skin painted on wall.
Weekend reading. Need a good lay down, I’ve been choring like a mofo!!
Transforming one boring white hallway…. The before shot with a splash of incoming colour!!!!
One of this lovely, peaceful Sunday dinners. Also, very neat.
(How proud does Beff look of her creative noodle “masterpiece” though right?)
God
Hey
It’s me
Leonie
I don’t know what to do about this world
I don’t know how to fix all this suffering
There seems so much to do
Please use me
Use me as a vessel
A vessel for healing and light and love
I’m here
I’m listening
Guide me.
Love you,
Leonie
What do I need today?
Connection. Art. Wonder. Beauty. Well-filling.
I need that feeling of being with my very own best friend… My own self.
Knowing in every cell of my body that that is enough. The sweet joy of my own presence. And art. Oh yes.
I’ve felt wet eyed and itchy today, like something is waiting to burst through me but it needs my attention and stillness. So I went on a date with my sweet, beloved self.
First to the National Gallery to gawp open-mouthed at beauty.
Now a cafe for tea and cake and books and letter writing. Time to fill the well.
Finished this on Audible today. I’m late to the party but hollllllllllly fuuuuuuuuuck Brene Brown is right on! Many AHA! moments during this wonderful book!
For my birthday, I begged my husband to get me this $15 unicorn head for my office. I am never, ever, ever growing up.
I’ve been feeling vulnerable and teary and raw this week.
My skin so thin it’s almost translucent. I haven’t been able to shake it, even after a solo artist’s date on Monday. I was starting to feel frustrated… Like SERIOUSLY I HAVE FELT YOU ENOUGH, FEELINGS. Which makes me laugh. Bless my sweet lil human self.
Anyways, today I just felt like sitting in my office and feeling grumpy and reading Buzzfeed clickbait. I knew it wasn’t going to help me work through it. And I realised then that my office was a bare skeleton – I still hadn’t decorated since we moved in.
So I organised. And decluttered. And decorated. And hung art and prayer flags everywhere. I tattooed myself with glittering Darling Tree tattoos I found in my boxes. I wrote thank you letters. When I get lonely or grumpy, writing those letters makes me feel connected again.
I gave Beff a fringe trim. Now she looks like an indie rocker from Melbourne.
Guess what we are doing today???????????
My mate Lile is teaching me & Lena how to sew… We have set up a sweatshop to make summer dresses for our girl squad. Between us, we have five girls and they are all playing like wild things. We couldn’t find any appropriate sun dresses for our wombfruits so we are maaaaaking them!!!!
7 hours. 3 women. We managed to sew… One newborn dress. I can’t even stop laughing about it.
I love that I never have a clue what I will find on Mr Dawson’s bedside reading stack. He thrills me.
Weekending in the backyard. Our garden is magical. So is my husband.
My favourite part of mothering is all the personal space I get.
This girl. I love when my big girl goes to school so I get some one on one time with my baby girl.
Me & Starry had so much special time together for the first four years. I love these lil pockets where I can focus on just one.
Oh… and to finish off…
We visited IKEA for the first time everrrrr (they’ve only just opened here in Canberra!)
All I said for three hours as we tried to find our way out was:
Holy.fuck.
OMG LOOK HOW CHEAP THIS ALL IS!
Wot.da.fuck.sooooooooo many peeeeeople.
OMG CINNAMON BUNS GET IN MY MOUTH NOWWWWWWWWWWW
Squeeee!!! Sensory delight!!!! LOOK AT ALL THE COLOUR + DESIGN!
Ummmm… where are we??? I am soooo lost!!!!
Ughhhh Goddddd I am getting overstimulated…
GET ME THE FUCK OUT NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
It took us the rest of the afternoon to recover. Haaaaaa!!!
And Beff managed to meet her match with IKEA… she fell asleep straight away in the car and stayed that way!
*
So, there you have it! My scrumptious scrapbook!
It’s been a huuuuuge month and a bit…
I’m so very grateful for all the birthdays + adventures + family time + business miracles + work along the way.
Thank you for sharing the journey with me!
Big love,
A Little Letter to Little Leonie on our Birthday
It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago.
I wrote this letter to my 4 year old self as a birthday love note.
*
Hey lil Leonie, it’s big Leonie.
It’s our birthday today.
How good is that? We love our birthday.
Especially the cake. Always the cake.
I just wanted you to know that we did it, girl.
All those things you started dreaming of… They are flowering in our life now. We made them happen. We are doing the thing we were born to do.
It’s been a lot of hard work, but we are used to hard work, aren’t we? At your age, we had already learned to ride a horse and started mustering cattle with our brothers and Dad and Grandad and the rest of the men.
Plus, this work is even more fun than being on horseback, if that is possible to believe!
I still miss the smell of horses though. I wish they would bottle it and turn it into Eau De Horse. I would cover myself in it each morning.
We live in a place now where we never thought would be our forever town, but it is.
We are so very happy here. Our garden is magical, and we are surrounded by our tribe who love us and get us and love that particular constellation of cells called Leonie.
There’s been some hard times to get here though. Hard, awful and horrific. You will lose your brother in 10 years. You will be broken by post natal depression in 23 years. That same year you will witness the implosion of your family of origin, an event you would scarcely believe possible.
In 27 years, you will spend nine months rocking in bed, fighting to keep enough water and food down to keep you and the baby inside you alive.
Each of these things will break you, and will also break you open.
We will become wiser, deeper and lovelier from them. Hard to believe I know, but it is true.
I promise you, we will get through them. I promise we will be okay.
I will be right by your side every step of the way.
And one day, eventually, we will look back and see how perfect everything was and is. Because it really is.
I love you to the moon and back. You are perfect exactly the way you are.
Shine on, my little diamond. This world needs all of you.
Happy birthday my love.
All my love,
33 year old Leonie.
December 4, 2015
WORLDWIDE SHIPPING UPDATE: WOO HOO!! WE’RE SHIPPING DAILY EVERYWHERE!
Hola possums!
Hooray!
Just wanted to let you know that all boats have arrived, cleared through Customs + our distribution centres are in full swing sending out our 2016 planner + goals workbooks!
We have distribution centres in:
United States
United Kingdom
Australia
to make postage as fast and affordable for you as possible.
They have sent out all pre-orders AND are shipping all new orders DAILY!
Make sure you get your Christmas orders in NOW to get them to you by Christmas!
They make fantastic presents beneath the tree… the gift of an incredible year ahead + dreams come true.
Big love,
Best of November! Here’s what I shared last month…
Hola pretty petals,
I shared some goooooooood stuff last month. I think. I’m pretty sure. Maybe. You decide!
Anywaysies… incase you missed any of my hot blosts (aka blog posts)… here’s our radiant roundup!
33 Lessons I’ve Learned Before Turning 33
I recently turned 33 and I wanted to write a post about the 33 lessons I’ve learned thus far. But you know what? That sounds awfully fucking trite.
I’m pretty sure the universe didn’t send me 33 mind blowing, perfectly formed lessons just so I can write a listicle with perfectly forming numbers.
So instead I just wrote.
Luscious Links: The Political One
We’re back with my irregular “good shit I found around the web” round-up – the political edition.
Hyperemesis Gravidarum: A Letter To Midwives [And Doctors. And Caregivers.]
I was asked to write an article for Australian Midwifery News journal on hyperemesis gravidarum.
It’s a letter for midwives (and doctors and caregivers) to help them understand what HG is like for the person who is inside it.
If you know of anyone who might benefit from this article, please do share it along. Thank you for listening. Thank you for caring.
Leonie’s Scrapbook: Kiddliwinks, A Photoshoot And Workbooks!
And…back with my usual scrapbook of photos + ramblings as of late.
The God-Shaped Hole Inside Me
There’s a god-shaped hole inside me.
It’s always been there I think.
I was three when I first saw it. I lay in the dirt and knew I would never ever ever be enough.
That there would be a hole inside me a gaping void yawning with its sadness.
They Are Here…
They’re here, they’re here! Okay, so maybe you’ve already heard but my 2016 product collection is finally here!
We have already SOLD OUT of To Do List pads just from sending one email to our mailing list – so make sure you get your orders in now for the life + biz goals workbooks and 2016 diary/planner so you don’t miss out on them either.
You Can’t Do It All At Once [A Guest Post By Grant]
Another guest post from Grant Andrew, our Chief Operations Officer.
I always get the grins when I see a new draft blog post of his has pinged into my inbox. I love the messages that come through him. And it’s such a delight to creatively collaborate with him + illustrate his words.
Life, Soul, Art + Biz Podcast: The Mermaid Hair Edition
It had been a little while, so I had a good old catch up in this one and shared:
my rainbow mermaid hair
what I’ve been up to
all the inside goss on how I self-published + managed my business this year
my insights on my birthday-eve!
A Prayer For World Peace That Can Only Start With Me
May it begin with me.
May I let grace and peace permeate my bones.
May I become a better mother.
May I continue healing my shit.
May I help as much as I can.
May I give as much as I can.
May I continue being a good student of this world.
May I keep my heart open.
May I speak my truth kindly, lovingly, vulnerably.
May I listen more and understand others more.
I pray for Paris and I pray for peace and I pray for this aching world.
And I pray for the actions of peace resounding around the globe to begin right here in my own heart.
May I be an instrument of love and peace.
Great Spirit, use me.
How I Wrote + Illustrated + Self-Published 3 Books + Created 2 Products In Less Than A Year
In this post, I take you behind the scenes and share with you how I created the 2016 Create Your Shining Year in Life + Biz goals workbooks, diary/planner, wall planner + to do list pad.
This is a long post, where I show you exactly what it’s taken to create this product range. You might find it useful if you own a business, are interested in self-publishing, or in what it takes to build + launch a product.
Dear Mr. Mean Man On The Internet, Thank You But No Thank You
If you’ve followed me at all on Facebook or Instagram, you may have noticed my very, very, very special gift. The gift of a very stretchy face that can transform into a piece of putty. It’s fucking hilarious.
Not everyone finds it funny though….
The Aspie Goddess
On realizing I’ve got Asperger’s…AND why it’s perfectly bloody wonderful by me.
Come Join The Magical 2016 Workbookers Facebook Group
Consider this your official invitation to join our magical, wondrous, inspiring + fun Facebook group just for the 2016 workbookers!
It’s:
totally free to join
a lovely, inspiring community who work through the workbooks together
a place to meet and mastermind with other gorgeous workbook women in your local area
over 6000 members from around the world!
Please do join us + invite your workbooker friends too! The more the merrier!
Inside The 2016 Planner Collection!
It’s been a wild rush around here – I haven’t even had a chance to properly introduce you to my full 2016 planner collection!
It’s been a wild rush of getting them into the world + dealing with the thousands of emails with my 5 staff in customer happiness mode!
There’s been so many questions about them too, so I thought I’d share some videos + photos + words to help you work out if they are the right choice for you!
Phew! No wonder I feel a bit knackered! That’s a LOT right there to dive into!
Hope you find some delicious morsels to inspire, guide, help you on your sacred path…
May your day be big, blessed + bright,
December 2, 2015
Peek Inside The 2016 Life Goals Workbook
Hola poppets!
So we’re continuing to give you peeks into our 2016 planner collection… there’s so much new + wonderful stuff this year to share with you to help you plan out your best life + biz yet in 2016!
Today I’m going to be sharing with you a peek inside the 2016 Create Your Shining Year in LIFE workbook!
So this year, after many many requests, we split the Biz + Life goals workbook into two workbooks.
That way, you could give it to friends, sisters, mums, daughters, teenagers for Christmas even if they didn’t have a business. (Which reminds me: GET YOUR ORDERS IN NOW TO MAKE SURE YOU GET IT DELIVERED IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS!)
They make SUCH a beautiful present… and you then get the bonus gifts of seeing your favourite people in the world achieving their goals and dreams… AND you can also commandeer them into having workbook planning parties with you! #winwinwin
They are lushly + beautifully illustrated… full colour… fully redesigned + re-illustrated this year to make them even more radiant + scrumptious for your feasting eyes.
It will help you map out:
We get such lovely feedback from the gorgeous souls that get gifted these workbooks about how it’s changed their life. What a beautiful gift to give!
We also divided them into chapters this year so you can fill out you goals for:
Money
Health
Creativity
Family
Relationships
Travel + Adventures.
And we’ve also made some extra yummy changes this year:
the book is printed on recycled paper
you get a smorgasbord of suggestions for goals for each area of your life
you also get my recommended books + resources list for each area of your life!
And with EVERY order of a printed Life workbook, you also get a FREE huge BONUS A2 printed 2016 wall planner!
Want to see what they look like inside page by page?
Let me take you on a glorious wander through them!!!
And a quick video of the wall planner!
Women get such HUGE results from using these workbooks year after year.
For the last seven years it’s been such a gift to hear their miracles and stories of dreams come true, of lives reclaimed, of spirits inspired, of bucket lists made and ticked off, of glorious, happy, satiated journeys being led.
I know if you grab these + fill them out, you too will see scrumptious changes in your life.
The you in one year will thank you for doing it!
Big love,
December 1, 2015
I’m A Cover Girl!
Ummmmm
so
guys
LOLZ x A MILLION.
Seriously.
I’m still Leonie from the (Rainforest) Block tho.
Who still can’t quite believe anybody knows who the fuck I am.
I feel like I’ve been hiding out in the mountains for a loooooong time.
And coming back to Canberra has been a return to civilisation + also waaaaaaaaaaay more attention than I am used to.
From being an Ausmumpreneur of the Year finalist to top 6 in the Australian Businesswoman of the Year Awards… now to being a covergirl… yeah… I don’t quite feel so much like the hidden hermit anymore.
It’s totally a huge honour.
And it’s still taking me some time to getting used to.
HASHTAG INTROVERT HASHTAG UPLEVELLING HASHTAG OMG I FEEL SO SEEN
Okay.
I could probably keep babbling.
But there are hundreds of emails that need answering. And I just hired three new staff over the weekend to help with the inbox deluge + everything else we have going on.
It’s kind of huge + wonderful and it definitely has shit-my-pants moments in it too.
Fuck… I just remembered. I didn’t even tell you.
The whole POINT of this message.
So I’m the December covergirl for the Business Heroine magazine.
It was fucking AWESOME to be asked. Plus, me + the magical editor Anne had the BEST interview which was really us laughing a lot and picking each other’s brains about the crossroads of business and spirituality and talking about ugly selfies and me asking to be adopted into Anne’s family, and her happily accepting.
JUST THE USUAL KIND OF INTERVIEW YOU KNOW.
You can read/listen here.
And I really, really, really hope you are having a wonderful day.
I woke up at 6am for a big session with Hiro + then did an hour of business coaching for some of our top affiliates + then we picked up mail (I have been internet buying handmade goodies for the little mermaids for Christmas) + then we got Angel groomed (she looks like half the dog she used to be) + I’m cramming in some work before we head to parent-teacher interviews this afternoon.
It’s a good day all round.
Okay my loves.
You hang up. No… YOU hang up.
You know I can’t.
Allright… miss you already…
Big big love,
November 29, 2015
24 HOUR SALE!
Loves!
Exciting news! We’re holding a 24 hour sale!
If you buy the Biz Bundle of the 2016 workbook collection in the next 24 hours, we’re going to do something we have NEVER done before!
You’ll get our most requested business e-course for FREE with it (worth $79!!!!!!!!!)
Not only that, we’ll be completely revising + updating it + releasing it as the Business Goddess 2.0 course!
You’ll learn:
how to make money online
the blueprint of how I did it
100+ ways to market magically, mindfully & joyously
how to stay sane & joyful when business gets BUSY!
With added bonus of the hugely adored + powerful Magic Money Maker Kit!
This is one of my most popular + successful courses – over 10,000 women have used this course with great results!
IT COMES HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TOO!
“What I love about the Business Goddess e-course is that it’s fun, lush and soups-to-nuts on what you need to have a love-filled, fit-you and successful business.
Highly recommended!”
– Jennifer Louden
Oprah show expert + best-selling author of
“The Woman’s Comfort Book”, “The Life Organizer”,
“The Pregnant Woman’s Comfort Book”
and five other books!
“I refer so many of my clients to Leonie Dawson’s “Business Goddess e-course”. It’s the most wonderful, fun, colorful, creative, easy to read & understand resource available.
If you would like to cut to the chase and learn everything about marketing your business online ~ this is one resource I can highly highly recommend. It’s informative, user friendly, creative and could save you years of reading about how to promote and sell yourself on the internet. When I started ~ I couldn’t stop reading it…”
– Dawn Breslin, worldwide leader in personal transformation, TV personality + international touring speaker, Hay House author of “Dawn Breslin’s Guide to Super Confidence” and “Dawn Breslin’s Power Book”
www.dawnbreslin.com
START DATE OF E-COURSE
We’ll start it January 18 to give you enough time to get into your workbooks… and start your year off right!
There’s no point getting you started right now only for you to lose momentum over the holidays!
AND AN EXTRA AWESOME MUCH-COVETED BONUS!
You will ALSO get the printable PDF of the sold out to do list pad. You can print + laminate + use to your heart’s content, forever and ever!
IMPORTANT NOTES:
(Please read before you email us! C’mon! You can do it! Reading is fun!)
If you pre-ordered you will ALSO be receiving this bonus as an extra thank you! No need to email us – we will be emailing you shortly!
If you have already ordered the Biz Bundle you will ALSO be receiving this bonus as an extra thank you! No need to email us – we will be emailing you shortly!
If you are an Academy member, you will also be getting the bonuses.
If you order the Biz Bundle in next 24 hours you will be getting the bonuses.
You do not need to use a code when ordering. Just buying the Biz Bundle is enough.
There is nothing you need to do to get these bonuses. Please wait + we’ll send emails out.
If you’re an affiliate, yes you can promote this bonus + they will receive if they order in the next 24 hours.
We are not sending out printed to do list pads with this. You’ll get the PDFs.
We are not reprinting to do list pads until 2017 workbook season.These PDFs are the only way you can get your hands on them now!
The rest of the books in the Biz Bundle ARE printed! You’ll get 2 wall planners, a 2016 weekly planner-diary, a 2016 Biz Goals workbook + 2016 Life Goals workbook shipped to you! The quality is AMAZING + they are truly stunning IRL! These babies are going to be your much loved besties over the next year!
No, you do not get access the course until January 18.
Nope, you’re still not getting the course until January 18.
I get it. You’re excited. But still. No. Love you.
We will CLOSE the offering of the bonus Business Goddess e-course in 24 hours. No, you can’t write in after that asking for it because you missed it. Well you can. But the answer will be: No. Love you.
Grabbing this kit now will truly set up your business for success in 2016!
Remember: just 24 hours to nab it and set yourself up for business success in 2016!
Big love,
P.S. If you’ve been waiting for a reason to buy… now is the perfect time! Don’t miss out! We won’t be offering this special again!!!!
We have been asked for YEARS to sell this e-course separately… it is EXCLUSIVELY for our Academy members (so it would cost you $497 to get your fingers on it!)
And now we are GIVING IT AWAY with our Biz Workbook Bundle!
If you are truly serious about growing your business in 2016, this is the kit to invest in… and you get it at a HUGE DEAL!
November 28, 2015
Inside The 2016 Planner Collection!
Hola possums,
It’s been a wild rush around here – I haven’t even had a chance to properly introduce you to my full 2016 planner collection!
It’s been a wild rush of getting them into the world + dealing with the thousands of emails with my 5 staff in customer happiness mode!
There’s been so many questions about them too, so I thought I’d share some videos + photos + words to help you work out if they are the right choice for you!
I’ve been absolutely delighted to hear how excited people have been getting them in the mail… and LOVE how much they are loving the upgrades we’ve made this year in making them even more incredible!
CHANGES WE’VE MADE THIS YEAR
Biz + Life goal workbooks are now in two separate printed books (so non-biz women + teenagers can just get the Life goal planners!)
Biz + Life goal workbooks have been redesigned, rewritten + reillustrated.
They are now in luscious chapters/sections (for example – in Life, you have sections like Relationships, Health, Spirituality, Creativity + Financial Goals. In Biz, you have sections like Marketing, Team, Finances + Systems Goals).
Both workbooks are thicker, have heavier covers, gorgeous recycled paper that is a dream to write on!
Both include plenty of notes paper at the back for you – in a gorgeous variety of graph paper, lined paper + unlined paper.
Both workbooks have a pocket for putting extra paper/notes in.
The 2016 yearly wall planner is DOUBLE the size of last year’s one! This one is A2 sized and completely damn scrumptious!
The 2016 diary/weekly planner is brand spanking new! It features rainbowy pages, monthly goal planning, weekly to do list reminders, income goals, action plans + lots more! Exactly what you need to get your goals happening every week!
The to do list pad is brand spanking new as well! This one helps you to make sure you get your most important tasks done daily, as well as making sure you have healthy, thriving, shining habits along the way (i.e. meditating, eating greens, staying hydrated, getting exercise + being connected!)
Remember: some of our stock has already sold out thanks to huge amounts of pre-orders AND the number of orders placed from one email… and we won’t be ordering more.
If you’re ready to invest in an incredible 2016 with these proven + powerful planners that get serious results… jump on them NOW.
I don’t want you to miss out!
LATEST SHIPPING UPDATE
We are now shipping daily out of all our mailing houses in:
UK
Australia
US!
If you pre-ordered and haven’t received your books yet, please do email us (support@leoniedawson.com). Chances are you haven’t confirmed your postal address with us yet!
Otherwise, we’re on track + shipping well! Hooray!
WORKBOOKS ARRIVING AROUND THE WORLD!
It’s been such a joy to watch them appear all over the world… we are selling in over 100 countries + I love how excited people are when they get them!!!
And the comments just light me + my team up every time they come in… we actually have a #kindwordsandhappiness channel on our Slack instant messaging service just to share them with each other!
WORKBOOKERS FACEBOOK GROUP!
We also have a Facebook group just for the 2016 workbookers!
It is:
totally free to join
a lovely, inspiring community who work through the workbooks together
lots of local meetup groups around the world
over 5000 members from around the world!
Please do join us + invite your workbooker friends too! The more the merrier!
WANT TO FIND OUT MORE?
Make sure you head on over to our uber gorgeous page with all the details, video walk-throughs, info + order your 2016 planner collection. Perfect as a gift for yourself for an amazing next year… and a perfect Christmas gift as well!
CAN’T WAIT TO SHARE THESE BEAUTIES WITH YOU!
It’s one of my favourite things to hear how these workbooks + planners change women’s lives.
I can’t wait to see what miracles they birth into 2016 for you!
Big love,
November 27, 2015
Come Join The Magical 2016 Workbookers Facebook Group!
You’re invited!
Hola possum,
Consider this your official invitation to join our magical, wondrous, inspiring + fun Facebook group just for the 2016 workbookers!
It’s:
totally free to join
a lovely, inspiring community who work through the workbooks together
a place to meet and mastermind with other gorgeous workbook women in your local area
over 5000 members from around the world!
Please do join us + invite your workbooker friends too! The more the merrier!
And of course, if you haven’t already ordered yet – get in quick! These also make fabulous presents at Christmas time too!
See you in there!
Big love,
November 23, 2015
The Aspie Goddess
Maybe I should have known back then.
My brother had cerebral palsy, my mother was a disability support worker. My childhood was surrounded with a magical array of characters + blazing souls, all with their own diagnosis. I loved all of them, but I especially got the Asperger’s ones. I understood them. I could disappear into their world with them.
“You’re so similar to them,” my mum said one day. “Except you don’t seem to struggle with yours.”
All of her Aspie clients were boys, and I understood how their brains worked, but I was different in how my brain worked. We all know the stereotypical signs of an Aspie… but that is only half the picture. It is the stereotype of an Aspieboy. Aspiegirls are different.
I didn’t know that then. My mum didn’t know that then.
I laughed, and carried on, doing life my own odd, happy way.
**
It was another 16 years before it came up again.
In the space of a year, a number of my friends either came out of the Aspie closet, or got diagnosed.
Each time I’d have this ignorant little moment of:
“Really? But how can that be? They are the coolest people I know! We get along like a house on fire! I totally understand them and we’re exactly the same kind of person!”
Then one of them shared a checklist of diagnosing Aspiegirls.
I rolled my eyes, and did it anyway.
Within 10 questions, I was wide eyed.
There was me.
All written out in text.
Every part of me that I thought was my own 1-in-7-billion quirk.
I continued on.
“Holy shit. Holy shit. HOLY. SHIT.”
My life made sense. It was world changing.
All the funny little parts – from being a socially inept, chronically shy kid (who mostly grew out of it by watching intently others to work out how to have a conversation and be a person) to the digestive issues to the general anxiety disorder. From my ability to hyperfocus, to my predisposition to get overstimulated + need to to hide out from the world for a few days to integrate again. Also, I’m blunt as fuck, hilariously naive and have a nervous habit of flicking my fingernails (which drives Chris bonkers).
That and a hundred million other things.
There I was.
An Aspiegirl.
***
My first reaction was:
Who the fuck am I? Am I just my diagnosis? Do I even HAVE a personality outside of it? Because it all seems to be listed down here.
I also thought:
I will never, ever tell this to anyone.
I didn’t want anyone to treat me differently. To believe that I was less than them. That I was any less intelligent or successful because my brain was atypically wired.
I told Chris, of course. That bloke knows almost every one of my passing thoughts. I’ve even been known to wake him up in the middle of the night because not another moment can pass before I tell him my latest thought/idea/insight/dream.
When I told him this latest development, he too was worried about reactions from other people.
And he also knows me – truly knows me – after almost 15 years of watching me build a business, sing Ronan Keating loudly on road trips, suffer through illness, squeal with excitement over eleventy billion things, give birth to our children, dry hump him every time he turns his back — all of those myriad of ways I’m a Leonie. I’m a Leonie more than I’m an Aspie.
Over time, he felt less guarded and worried about it. He did his own reading. And he’ll often send me articles on Aspiegirldom.
We carried on, with this new awareness slowly sinking in.
I read Rudy Simone’s “Aspiegirl” book which was infinitely helpful.
***
And even though I told myself to never, ever tell anyone… I’m not very good at keeping secrets.
I’ve told myself that before of course. I swore I wouldn’t speak a word of me suffering Post Natal Depression.
Both times it felt too new, too raw, too precious a truth, too able to cause me damage with insensitivities.
But just like with PND, as I grew more comfortable with my story, and less ashamed, I began to tell others.
First my Aspiegirl friends who all responded: “Yeah, we know.”
***
And then I grew stronger with talking about it.
It became less a diagnosis of a disability, and more a loving acknowledgment of my superpowers, and also what particular environments I need in order to thrive.
I love my Aspie superpowers:
my intelligence
my ability to focus like a motherfucker
Aspies tend to have a pretty high level of self confidence and belief that they can do anything (BOOO YEAHHHHHH)
my bluntness
my ability to look for patterns in business and relationships so I can grow as a person.
Some of the challenges I’ve had that are Aspie related:
I tend to have lower physical energy levels than others, especially in regards to social situations. I have to limit the amount of interviews, calls + live events I attend because it’s incredibly stimulating and takes me a while to chill out again. I LOVE doing them and enjoy the fuck out of them, but get burnt out socially pretty damn quickly.
I was an awkward kid with no friends for a really long time. I could only relate to my animal friends (my dog + horse). Once I learned how to interact around age 11, I had some friends but was still bullied relentlessly. I sent myself off to boarding school when I was 16 to get away from the bullies.
School was not fun for the vast majority of time for this weirdo nerd. Loved learning, didn’t love the other kids. I mostly hung out with boys because I found them simpler to understand. It got easier once I went to boarding school and even easier once I left school and could remove myself away from bullies.
I’ve continued learning and growing my social skills. My friend Lena is one of my favourite people to study. She doesn’t know this and she will find it hilarious. She is so effortlessly graceful and thoughtful and such a wonderful friend. I love studying her and trying to be a better person and friend by adopting some of her habits and mannerisms.
For example: She ALWAYS asks people how their significant others are. (She even asked me how Chris was when she called to tell me she’d given birth. Not just once. BOTH TIMES. Seriously.) And she has a calendar she prints every year with all of her friend’s birthdays on it, and she sends a birthday card to every single one of them. In the mail. At the right time. *mind blown*
Some of the things I need in order to thrive with an Aspiebrain:
A scheduled life with a LOT of quiet/down time at home.
Time away from my kids super regularly. I get super-touched-out from too much physical contact + noise.
Writing to process everything that happens – I seem to see and feel the world in hypercolour.
Showers in the dark (I call it the Sensory Deprivation Chamber) when I’m overloaded.
I should state here as well:
There are some Aspie qualities I don’t identify with. Most significantly, I don’t have emotional breakdowns or tantrums in the way they are described for Aspiegirls. I surveyed Chris and other close friends, and none of us can see that pattern for me. I DO tend to be incredible expressive in my feelings (both negative + positive). For example: “OMG THIS IS THE GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE DID YOU JUST SEE THAT FLOWER DROP ON THE GROUND IT WAS SO EXQUISITELY BEAUTIFUL ARRRRGHHHHHHHHHH SOOOO HAPPPPYYYYYYYY” to “HOLY SHIT I AM SO FUCKING PISSED OFF RIGHT NOW!!! THIS IS BULLSHIT ARRRGHHHH SO CWANKY!” My emotional expression is usually in capital letters, but I don’t seem to lose control of them.
I have not been officially diagnosed. I am not seeking one. I don’t need one. I know whole of heart that my brain is neuro-atypical, and tends to fit Aspie characteristics.
I would absolutely be classified as a “high functioning” Aspie, or AspieLite as I call it. So, I’m not able to speak to the specific challenges that others on the spectrum would face. I know they are significant, and I don’t have experience with them. I can’t speak definitely for all Aspiegirls. I can only speak for myself and my experience. /end boring disclaimery shit
***
I was at a dinner party a few weeks ago. I was seeing a bunch of my friends for the first time since I moved back. One of them has been dear to me for 12 years. We are polar opposites. She is a hardline atheist who ran screaming away from hippies. I was the first Great Spirit-loving, crystal-holding, artsy hippy she let into her inner circle (much to my incredible luck and infinite gratitude). We laugh often at our differences, and adore each other anyway. Somehow, from two very different places, we saw things just the same.
At the end of the night, she organised the money neatly into stacks, folded perfectly, paper just so. It was an impeccable achievement of OCD.
“Do you think you’re a lil Aspie, M?”
“A LIL? Oh babe, I’m hardcore, hardline Aspie. There ain’t nothing lil about it.”
“Oh… do you know I’m an Aspie too?”
“Well, derrrrr honey. Why do you think we love each other so much?”
It’s only taken 32 years, but I know now: I’m an Aspie. And I’m delighted to be exactly who I am.
Big love,
Further resources:
Aspiegirl quizzes + traits here, here + here.
Autistic Women’s Collective – run by one of my Aspiegirl soulsisters, Jen Saunders!
